North Sunnyvale residents will be able to access the city’s library resources closer to home by next year. The Sunnyvale City Council on May 21 unanimously awarded Bobo Constructions a $23 million contract to build the Lakewood Branch Library and Learning Center, the city’s first expansion of its main library services. While it will have...
NBC Bay Area: School crossing guards dodging driverless cars
As state leaders approve expanding the testing of driverless cars into San Mateo County and Sunnyvale, school crossing guards in San Francisco say they’ve had some close calls with autonomous vehicles during the past year.
Sunnyvale voters to decide on library renovation
Sunnyvale voters will have a tax measure on their November ballot — a long-needed bond to renovate the city’s public library. The Sunnyvale City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to move forward with a $290 million general obligation bond to support rebuilding the city’s main public library, and axing plans for a property transfer tax ...
Sunnyvale selects new city attorney and interim manager
Two long-tenured Sunnyvale officials are moving up the ranks of local government. The Sunnyvale City Council permanently appointed Rebecca Moon as city attorney at its Tuesday meeting. Councilmembers also appointed Finance Director Tim Kirby as interim city manager, to take over after Kent Steffens retires this summer, while searching for a permanent hire. Moon has...
Sunnyvale approves history museum expansion
The Sunnyvale Heritage Park Museum, which catalogs the city’s history from the first orchards to aerospace companies, has plans to expand. The Sunnyvale City Council unanimously approved a $1.5 million allocation out of the city’s Park Dedication fund toward adding 1,600 square feet to the Sunnyvale museum. The museum hopes to install an exhibit dedicated...
Tempers flare over Silicon Valley school district map
A recent Silicon Valley school board meeting erupted into yelling, chanting and an arrest over changes to trustee elections. The Fremont Union High School District (FUHSD) board of trustees unanimously finalized the switch from “at large” to by-area trustee elections Wednesday night. Starting this November, voters will elect trustees by area to avoid a potential lawsuit for...
Sunnyvale voters likely to support property transfer tax
Sunnyvale officials may have found a new source of revenue, with a green light from residents to place a proposed tax measure on the November ballot. A city survey collected responses from 444 Sunnyvale voters, 63% of whom supported a possible property transfer tax measure after hearing the pros and cons. The details in the...
Sunnyvale affordable housing project opens near downtown
Dozens of affordable homes near Sunnyvale’s downtown are ready to welcome hundreds of residents. City officials celebrated the opening of Meridian Apartments on Tuesday. The 1.44-acre all-affordable 89-home project is a mix of apartments — from studios to three-bedrooms — and seven townhouses located within walking distance of the city’s downtown and Caltrain station. Rents...
Sunnyvale wants a better mobile app for reporting problems
Sunnyvale is in the market for a better way to have residents flag issues in their neighborhoods online. The Sunnyvale City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously, with Councilmember Omar Din absent, to request bids on a management system residents can use to report potholes, graffiti and other problems. Councilmembers also voted to pause work on...
Sunnyvale taps AI to translate public meetings
Sunnyvale residents who don’t speak English have a new way to engage and participate in city meetings. The city is piloting an artificial intelligence-based translation service upon request for public meetings through Wordly. The technology offers live translation in more than 50 languages. Using AI is more cost effective and efficient than human translators, according...